“Dignity of passengers, speed of trains and progress of nation are main themes of this budget”, he added.
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The Railway Minister also announced the addition of 2-4 Deen Dayalu coaches in some long distance trains for unreserved travel to enhance our carrying capacity for the masses.
” The Railway Budget 2016-17 has also awarded due focus on the creation of freight corridors and has opted for decentralization of decision making at the state level, to expedite development of backward areas in the country”. From clean-my-coach service to Wi-Fi at stations, ticket-vending machines, e-catering, mobile apps and hoards of other services that will improve the consumer experience on train.
With the upcoming state polls, and downsliding railway revenues, Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu did a tough tightrope walk, leaving passengers fares and freights untouched for the second consecutive year, but desisted from announcing any major populist sops. “More and more trains will be taken up for housekeeping service”. “Reorganize, restructure and rejuvenate” are the three pillars of the rail budget. The Rail Budget is less on statistics and more on people-friendly measures.
Lower berth quota will be increased to 50% for senior citizens and a 33% sub-quota for women in reserved categories will be enabled. Finally, calling coolies as “sahayaks” should bring cheer to the hard-working tribe.
As a result, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to spend 8.5 trillion rupees through 2020 on new tracks, India’s first bullet trains and modern stations. Nearly all the contracts for civil engineering works would have been awarded before the end of the current financial year, he said, adding that since he assumed office, contracts worth Rs24,000 crore have been awarded, against Rs13,000 crore worth of contracts in the last 6 years.
Indian Railways is likely to face a shortfall of around Rs 15,744 crore in earnings from passenger fares and freight rates this fiscal owing to a tepid economic growth on account of a global slowdown. The government’s own estimates show that, as on 1 January, maximum cost overrun was seen in railway projects with the anticipated cost of 27 projects climbing to Rs 79,140.68 crore from the original cost of Rs 22,680.85 crore.
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The same is the case with the Kannur-Mattannur line costing Rs 400 crore.
